House passes bill to repeal the PLDC

Honolulu, Hawaii– The Hawaii House of Representatives unanimously passed HB1133, which would repeal the Public Land Development Corporation (PLDC).

House Lawmakers held a public hearing last Saturday to engage the community in considering a variety of options for dealing with the PLDC that ranged from overhauling the administrative rules to repealing the corporation. Testimony from the five-hour hearing made it clear where the public stood on the issue.

On Monday, the Committees on Water and Land (WAL) and Finance (FIN) voted unanimously to advance an outright repeal of the PLDC to a full vote on the House Floor. Today’s vote sends HB1133 to the Senate with a clear message that the House and the public support a repeal of the controversial Corporation.

“The public, in oral and written testimony, voiced its displeasure with the PLDC with an overwhelming number of people calling for repeal of the act,” said WAL Chair Cindy Evans (North Kona, North Kohala, South Kohala). “Clearly, the way it was structured, the public came to a point of understanding that the authority we gave the corporation bypassed county plans and zoning laws. Democracy spoke today with the passage of HB1133.”